Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State are expected to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before April, marking the latest in a series of high-profile defections from the opposition party.

The PDP has faced a turbulent period as key leaders continue to abandon the platform amid ongoing leadership disputes. A source familiar with party developments confirmed that while Bala Mohammed is joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde has finalized plans to move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“All the PDP leaders are leaving. Bala Mohammed is already with APC, and Makinde is heading to ADC,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

Governors Who Have Left PDP

Since the 2023 general elections, at least nine PDP governors have defected due to irreconcilable crises within the party.

Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State) – APC, April 2025

Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom State) – APC, June 2025

Peter Mbah (Enugu State) – APC, October 2025

Douye Diri (Bayelsa State) – APC, November 2025

Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State) – APC, December 2025

Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State), Agbu Kefas (Taraba State), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa State) – APC, January 2026

Ademola Adeleke (Osun State) – Accord Party, December 2025

Additionally, Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State) has expressed interest in joining APC and is expected to be officially received into the party after the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Lawmakers Follow Suit

Defections are not limited to governors. As of January 2026, 66 federal lawmakers have left PDP for APC since the start of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023, including 19 senators and 47 members of the House of Representatives.

Deadline Pressures Ahead of 2027 Elections

Politicians planning to defect are under pressure to finalize moves before April due to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s revised election timetable. The schedule sets:

Presidential and National Assembly elections – January 16, 2027

Governorship and State Assembly elections – February 6, 2027

Party primaries and dispute resolutions – April 23 to May 30, 2026

Political parties must submit updated membership registers to INEC between April 1 and April 21, 2026, in line with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and complete primaries by May 30, 2026, to ensure candidates are democratically nominated as required by Section 84.

PDP May Skip 2027 Presidential Election

Signs indicate that PDP could boycott the 2027 presidential election due to unresolved internal leadership disputes. Omenka Thomas, a party chieftain, noted that ongoing litigation over the validity of the Ibadan convention may not be resolved before the presidential primaries.

“Primary elections are imminent, but the appeal court has yet to rule. Any candidate chosen now may be invalidated depending on the court’s decision,” he said.

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan recently urged PDP factions to settle their differences amicably, calling the crisis a family dispute that “had gone sour.” Meanwhile, the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal is expected to deliver its judgment on the consolidated appeals soon.